Yukon Rush Draft Preview

[Alex 3,198]

 

With the Yukon Rush now 16 points behind San Diego for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference of the VHLM many of their undrafted players have started to turn their attention toward the upcoming off-season and most importantly the VHL draft and for some also the VHLM draft. In this article we will break down each player strengths and weaknesses as well as make some projections about the draft as well, followed by an exclusive interview with the GM of the Yukon Rush @Juice.

 

 

Alex Johnston @Alex_J32

Position: RW

Age: 20

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 198lbs

Birthplace: Vancouver, Canada

Current TPE: 142

Johnston has had a solid season, albeit shorter than most as he joined the Rush 20 games into the season. With that said he has been a good addition to a team that needed a productive forward following the Gaspar Zarevsky trade. In 42 games played Johnston has 20 goals and 18 assists for 38 points. This is a player that loves to generate offence however, his defensive game leaves some to be desired as he is currently a -15 on the year and has racked up 34 penalty minutes. Johnston is also not the most physical player as he prefers to use his speed instead of his body having only 61 hits and 21 blocked shots. Current draft projections have Johnston as the 16^th ranked prospect heading into the VHL draft and the 5^th ranked VHLM draft eligible player. Among Wingers 3^rd heading into the VHL draft. When asked about his potential draft position Johnston said:

 

               "Personally, I don't care when or where I get drafted whether It's in the first or last round. Either way I plan to hopefully have a long and successful career and will play my heart out every game to help my team win.”

 

Johnston went on:

 

                “I know that it is very unlikely that I get picked in the first round given that I have played a rather short season, I would like any team who does take a chance on me to know that I plan to be very active and will constantly improve in whatever areas I can to help the team succeed”

 

Johnston acknowledges that it is very unlikely that he will be a first round pick as he is only a first generation player.

 

Jaromir Lemiuex @hockeyis66

VHLM Drafted: 64^th Overall (S77)

Position: RW

Age: 18

Height: 6’1”

Weight: 200lbs

Birthplace: Denmark

Current TPE: 135

Lemiuex has had a great season for the Rush playing in all 62 games. The Rush’s 64^th overall pick in the S77 VHLM dispersal draft appears to have been an incredible steal as he’s currently just under a point per game with 16 goals and a total of 59 points and has proven himself to be a top 6 forward in this league. In terms of strengths Lemiuex has an impressive 200-foot game and has managed to maintain a relatively high for the team minus 13 +/-. Although his game is pretty complete Lemiuex’s biggest weakness would be his checking and strength as he hopes to be a more aggressive player in the corners and to win more puck battles along the boards. Heading into the draft Lemiuex is currently ranked 20^th overall and is ranked 6^th among wingers. Lemiuex had this to say in regard to the upcoming draft when asked about his potential draft position:

 

                “I really don’t have a lot of expectations heading into the draft other than I feel like i am going to get picked late second round to mid third round. I have tried a couple of players before so I am sure that will knock down a bit since they didn’t pan out for me but I have enjoyed writing quotes and articles in the VHL so far and I do not see that changing anytime soon.”

 

Lemiuex added that:

 

                 “I will be happy to be drafted to any team and will do my best to continue to improve while playing at least a couple more seasons in the VHLM before joining the big club. A few teams have reached out so far with questionnaires and have had productive conversations so far with those management teams.”

 

Nathan Powers @JB123

VHLM Drafted: 57^th Overall (S77)

Position: D

Age: 17

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 187lbs

Birthplace: Mississauga, Canada

Current TPE: 135

The Rush’s 57^th pick in the S77 VHLM draft has proven himself to be a staple on the backend, putting up an impress 6 goals and 47 assists in 62 games. More impressively is Powers’ physical play as he currently ranks 11^th in the entire VHLM in hits with 174 and 7^th for blocked shots with 100. Needless to say, whom ever drafts this player is getting a dominant physical puck moving defenseman. Overall Powers has a very well rounded game however he does struggle to stay out of the penalty box wit 106 penalty minutes, good enough for 10^th in the league. Powers is currently ranked 21^st overall heading into the draft and is the 10^th ranked defenseman. When asked about his hopes for the draft Powers said:

 

                “My number one goal heading into the draft is to be a 1st round pick. I'm not quite sure how realistic that is as of now, but I think if I continue to work hard, it's a definite possibility.”

 

James P Albini @Ttro89

VHLM Drafted: 56^th Overall (S77)

Position: LW

Age: 18

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 175lbs

Birthplace: Denmark

Current TPE: 61

The Rush’s 56^th overall pick from the S77 draft has had a relatively poor season recording 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 62 games played. Albini has also seen his minutes drop from 18 to an average of 13 minutes a game. Over the 59 games this season Albini has recorded 56 penalty minutes, 13 blocked shots and is a minus 15. Albini is currently the 97^th ranked draft eligible player however I wouldn’t be surprised if he went undrafted as he has been inactive since the week of April 4^th. Albini was unavailable for comment.

 

Zen Raider @bRaidsz

Position: RW

Age: 17

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 180lbs

Birthplace: St. Louis, USA

Current TPE: 84

Raider another rookie signed as a free agent by the Rush has had an impressive impact on the roster given his rather limited role averaging around 12 minutes a night. Raider has been a solid depth piece for the Rush Scoring 3 goals and adding 3 assists in 20 games. Scoring is not Raiders strongest feature that would be his physical play recording 21 hits while only having 6 penalty minutes. The defensive aspect of Raiders game is impressive as well as he is only a minus 5 despite the Rush’s recent struggles to keep the puck out of the net. Raider is currently the 58^th ranked player heading into the VHL draft and is ranked 30^th among those eligible for the draft. When asked about his expectations for the draft  Raider stated that:

 

                “I don’t necessarily have to high of expectations for the draft since I haven’t been reached out to yet.”

 

Raider added in regards to a hopeful team to be drafted by:

 

                 “ I don’t have a preference as being drafted is a reward in its own right.”

 

Pippo Coca @pippo

Position: C

Age: 20

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 150lbs

Birthplace: Italy

Current TPE: 88

So far Coca has had a very short lived VHLM career having only played 18 games. In those 18 games Coca has shown some promise as a productive scoring center scoring 5 goals on only 34 shots, Coca added 2 assists for a total of 7 points. Coca’s game does however lack defence and a physical aspect as he is a minus 5 +/- and only has 4 hits and no blocked shots. Coca is improving at a solid consistent rate over his career and I look forward to seeing what the future brings for this goal scoring center. Currently Coca is ranked 46^th in the VHL draft class and 20^th among the player eligible for the VHLM draft. When asked about his hopes for the upcoming draft Coca stated that he hopes to become one of the all-time greats in the VHL.

 

Mitchell Osborne @OzNasty 

Position: D

Age: 23

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 212lbs

Birthplace: Canada

Current TPE: 82

Osborne joined the rush as a rookie free agent on just the second day of the season and since then has developed into a physical defensive defenceman that should strike fear into the opposing team. In just 59 games Osborne has recorded 114 hits, 91 shots blocked and 82 penalty minutes, the most impressive stat has to be Osborne’s +/- as he currently is the only player on a struggling team to have a positive +/-, sitting at a remarkable +10. Osborne’s offensive production is not quite at the level of others in the draft class as he only has 6 goals and 23 assists for a total of 29 points. With that being said those 6 goals have come off of only 57 shots for an above average shooting percentage, Osborne has also been solid on the powerplay scoring 4 powerplay goals on the season. Heading into the final week of the season Osborne is ranked 59^th for the VHL draft and 31^st among those eligible for the VHLM draft. Osborne was unavailable for comment.

 

Jacob Rask @BostonBruinsFan1806 

Position: G

Age: 16

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 189lbs

Birthplace: Canada

Current TPE: 86

Rask has had an impressive stretch of games lately and has contributed positively toward pulling the Rush out of their recent slump. Having played 19 games Rask has recorded 6 wins, 11 losses, and 2 overtime losses. Throughout the time that Rask has been in the league he has put up a 0.88 save percentage and a 4.05 goals against average. Given the small sample size it is difficult to identify any strengths and weaknesses yet however, it will surely be interesting to see how Rask develops in the coming seasons and to see if he can earn a starting role next season in the VHLM. Currently Rask is ranked 47^th for the VHL draft and is the 5^th ranked goalie, Rask is ranked 21^st among VHLM draft eligible players. When asked about his thoughts going into the draft Rask said that he hopes to go in the first round, in the VHLM draft he hopes to stay in Yukon furthermore, Rask also hopes to get drafted by Toronto in the VHL draft as it is "Close to home".

 

 

As @Juice prepares for the VHLM Draft I decided to ask him a few questions regarding his hopes for his draft eligible players, as well as if he had any words for his players, here is that conversation:

 

With 2 of your first 4 picks in the last VHLM draft you selected Powers and Lemiuex, what sort of impact have they had on the team this year?

 

Juice: “Immense impact. To be honest, going into the draft as a newer GM with only a few picks, and all of them only being in the very late rounds, I was a bit scared that we'd only hit inactive players if anything. To grab a top-2 defenseman and a top-6 forward, both of whom are earning like crazy as well is absolutely heart warming to see. Their impact on the stat-sheet says it for themselves that they're top line players, but their impact as great team members away from the sim is also great to see. Both Powers and Lemiuex want to make their players the best they can be, and ultimately be a great addition to the team overall. I've been approached a few times to see if they are at all available, and I can for sure say that they are untouchable.”

 

You have made several rookie signings throughout the year, what are your expectations for them heading into both the VHL and VHLM draft?

 

Juice: “Yes, thankfully the Rush have been able to pick-up quite a few rookies, and some great rookies at that like Johnston that have been amazing additions to the team and ultimately core members that have 'Yukon Rush' written all over them, and are obvious targets for me in the upcoming draft. In regards to expectations, I have none. I want each player to experience the VHL anyway they please, whether it's max earning and making a god-tier player, or having a more casual route. Thus with that being said, don't let the draft mold your experience either. You can be taken 1st overall or 50th overall, but where you go from there is what counts. What I will say is that I have glowing recommendations for all my Rush players, as each one has amazing qualities and I'll definitely be looking at them at the VHLM draft.”

 

Being a GM do you have any words for your draft eligible players?

 

Juice: “My only words would be to have fun with the draft. I know several players have approached me and let me know that they want to be Rush for as long as they are with the VHLM. Don't be gutted if you don't go where you're hoping to in both the VHLM and VHL draft. You are all amazing players and people in your own right, and I know that wherever you go that you'll be quality there too. You'll always be a Rush at heart though.”

 

As the Yukon Rush’s season comes to a close there is still a chance that they could overcome the 16 point deficit and squeak their way into the playoffs as they do have several games left against the team that they are chasing. Let’s keep extra attention on these draft eligible players to see if they can impress the VHL or will they crack under the pressure.

 

A special thank you to everyone who answered my questions:

@Juice

@hockeyis66

@bRaidsz

@JB123

@pippo

@BostonBruinsFan1806

 

Words: 2283

Claiming 1/4

Edited April 20, 2021 by Alex_J32
Edit, fixed username and added draft hopes for @bostonbruinsfan1806

[Juice 641]

My lord, you could not have been a better addition to the Rush and to the VHL in general.

 

Any VHL GM is going to have a field day when you get selected in the upcoming draft as even though you're a first gen, I see no reason for concern if you're putting out amazing media spots like this to the extent you did.

 

Not only a 2000 word article, but with graphics that include logo swaps, interviews with each player, and actually being a fun read overall, I couldn't have done better if I tried.

 

Amazing stuff yet again @Alex_J32 

[KaleebtheMighty 1,509]

This is absolutely great work! I love the added touch of individual picture for each player that feature a logo change. Seriously, I’m very impressed!!

[Vat 234]

Very well written especially with the interviews and intriguing to read.  I absolutely love the pictures with jersey swaps which makes the media spot a lot better. 10/10

[Alex 3,198]

8 hours ago, Juice said:

My lord, you could not have been a better addition to the Rush and to the VHL in general.

 

Any VHL GM is going to have a field day when you get selected in the upcoming draft as even though you're a first gen, I see no reason for concern if you're putting out amazing media spots like this to the extent you did.

 

Not only a 2000 word article, but with graphics that include logo swaps, interviews with each player, and actually being a fun read overall, I couldn't have done better if I tried.

 

Amazing stuff yet again @Alex_J32 

Thank you!

[Ledge 1,131]

Review: Wow, this is incredible for a new member. I just think it's awesome that you would go all in, with the photos and stats and individual interviews and all. Formatting is quite good, and lots of exciting content. Bravo.

9.5/10

[BostonBruinsFan1806 24]

On 4/18/2021 at 9:07 AM, Alex_J32 said:

 

 

 

Jacob Rask @bostonbruins33

Position: G

Age: 16

Height: 5’10”

Weight: 189lbs

Birthplace: Canada

Current TPE: 86

Rask has had an impressive stretch of games lately and has contributed positively toward pulling the Rush out of their recent slump. Having played 19 games Rask has recorded 6 wins, 11 losses, and 2 overtime losses. Throughout the time that Rask has been in the league he has put up a 0.88 save percentage and a 4.05 goals against average. Given the small sample size it is difficult to identify any strengths and weaknesses yet however, it will surely be interesting to see how Rask develops in the coming seasons and to see if he can earn a starting role next season in the VHLM. Currently Rask is ranked 47^th for the VHL draft and is the 5^th ranked goalie, Rask is ranked 21^st among VHLM draft eligible players. Rask was unavailable for comment.

 

 

 

This was a wonderful price of writing their is a small mistake in the one about Jacob Rask his user name is BostonBruinsFan1806 not bostonbruins33 and if you write another one of these I would love to answer some question 

Jacob Rask

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by BostonBruinsFan1806

[Alex 3,198]

1 hour ago, BostonBruinsFan1806 said:

This was a wonderful price of writing their is a small mistake in the one about Jacob Rask his user name is BostonBruinsFan1806 not bostonbruins33 and if you write another one of these I would love to answer some question 

Jacob Rask

 

Sorry about that, fixed it.

[BostonBruinsFan1806 24]

4 hours ago, Alex_J32 said:

Sorry about that, fixed it.

Don't worry about it 

[fromtheinside 1,290]

Probably the best media spot of the season, by a lot.

 

[Cédric Goulet 4]

Wow. This is so complete. honestly there is so much information that is so cool! 10/10 easy

[Alex 3,198]

Claiming 2/4

[Prout 373]

Review; well done for a new member here! I liked the details with how you laid the format so it was easy to understand and follow along. I liked how you got a picture for each player with there name/ position etc. This is a good piece and hope to see this as a first of many with you. Keep up the great work!  8/10 

[Alex 3,198]

Claiming week 3/4

 

[Alex 3,198]

Claiming week 4/4